LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), April 24: The Khyber Agency chapter of Awami National Party has criticised the slow pace of reforms in tribal areas and called upon the government to expedite the work.

Addressing party workers in Bara, the ANP Khyber Agency president Abdur Rahim Afridi said on Monday that the political authorities had completely failed in running the affairs of tribal areas and it was imperative to give way to political parties to operate in the seven tribal areas.

Lashing out at the role of political administration in the tussle between two religious groups in Bara, Mr Afridi alleged that mishandling of the situation by the local authorities had given way to Talibanisation of the tribal society.

Mr Afridi said that if the government was sincere in introducing reforms in the tribal areas, it should immediately replace the present nominated Agency Council with an elected one. The tribesmen should be given the right to vote under the adult franchise rule to elect their council, he added.

The gathering was also addressed by general secretary Nadir Shah Afridi, Senior Vice-President Khalid Khan Shinwari and party presidents of Bara, Jamrud and Landi Kotal tehsils.

They said that tribal people could no more be befooled with hollow slogans as they were now aware about their political rights and would not accept the centuries-old coercive rule of the British Raj. The ANP leaders demanded that the tribesmen be given the right to appeal in the High court and Supreme Court.